USDA scholarship for underserved students from Black colleges on hold

Robert Besser
27 Feb 2025, 10:07 GMT+10

A U.S. government scholarship program designed to help students from underserved and rural areas attend historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) has been paused
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suspended the 1890 Scholars Program, which covered full tuition and fees for students studying agriculture, food, or natural resource sciences at 19 universities known as 1890 land-grant institutions
It is unclear exactly when the suspension began, but some members of Congress spoke out against it last week

WASHINGTON, D.C.: A U.S. government scholarship program designed to help students from underserved and rural areas attend historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) has been paused.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suspended the 1890 Scholars Program, which covered full tuition and fees for students studying agriculture, food, or natural resource sciences at 19 universities known as 1890 land-grant institutions.

It is unclear exactly when the suspension began, but some members of Congress spoke out against it last week. The USDA said the program is on hold for further review. The suspension follows a funding freeze from President Trump's administration, which said it needed time to ensure spending matched the president's policies on climate change, diversity, and inclusion.

A USDA spokesperson said over 300 students already in the program will continue their studies without disruption. The program, launched in 1992, is named after the Second Morrill Act of 1890, which helped establish HBCUs.

To be eligible, students must be U.S. citizens, have at least a 3.0 GPA, and be accepted into one of the 19 universities. They must also study agriculture or related fields and show leadership and community service skills.

In October, the USDA had set aside US$19.2 million for the program, with 94 students receiving scholarships in the 2024 fiscal year. Schools affected include Alabama A&M, Florida A&M, North Carolina A&T, and Tuskegee University.